Process of uniting battery-plates.



No. 700,959. Patented May 27, I902.

w. F. J.YLUTZ.

PROCESS OF UNITING BATTERY PLATES.

(Application filed m. 14, 1901. (N0 BL) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

"m: norms PETERS co Puma-mm WASNINGTON. n c.

No. 700,959. Patented May 27, I902.

w. F, LUTZ. PROCESS OF UNITING BATTERY PLATES.

(Application filed Feb. 14, 1901.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

Nl'lih STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

IVILLIAM FRED JOHN LUTZ, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF TWO- THIRDSTO HANS 'ADAM S CHLOETZER AND JOHN HENRY GEORGE LUTZ,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PRooEss OF UNITING BATTERY-PLATES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 700,959, dated May 27,1902. Applicatio fil d February 14, 1901. Serial No. @7375. on)specimens.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1,- WILLIAM FRED JOHN LUTZ, of Chicago, in the countyof Cook and State'of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in" Processes of Uniting Battery-Plates; and I do herebydeclare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact descriptionthereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

This invention relates to a novel process or method of uniting leadbattery-plates by a connecting bar or bond, the same being moreespecially designed for connecting the individual plates with a bar orbond of like metal in such manner that the metal of the plate and thebar or bond will in the finished product be integral and homogeneous.

In carrying my novel process or method into practice I proceed generallyas follows: The battery-plates of like polarity are first arranged andsuitably supported side by side in the relation to each other which whenconnected they occupy in the battery cell. Thereafter the parts of theplates to which the connecting-bar is to be joined are sub jected toheat of a flame directed thereupon and raised in temperature to thepoint of fusion or until the metal of the plates is fused. At the timesuch fusion of the plates takes place the metal is confined or preventedfrom escaping, and while the molten metal formed by so fusing the plateis still in its molten condition the additional metal necessary forforming the connecting-bar is brought into contactxwith the fused partsof the plate, or, in other words, added to the fused metal of the platesthemselves, sothat as a result of the process upon the cooling of thefused metal of the plates, together with the added metal, the bar formedby the added metal will be integrally connected and homogeneous with theseveral plates.

The process above described may be carried into efiect in severalwaysas, for instance, the plates themselves or the portions of theplates adjacent to the points at which the connecting-bar is to beattached thereto may be buried in or surrounded by amass of sand, whichlatter at the place Where the bar is to beformed is so shaped as to'forma recess or mold, into which parts of the plate project. A heating-flamemay then be directed into the mold against the parts of the plateexposed therein and so as to fuse the same, and an additional quantityof fused metal necessary to form-the connecting-bar is then poured intothe mold. Uponthe cooling of the metal the connecting-bar will beintegrally joined to the plates. A similar result will be obtained ifthe plates are formed originally with projecting integral arms, and saidarms are arranged to project into the cavity of a sand or other mold,which is left open at its top, so that a heating-flame can be directedtherein against the ends of said arms, which are exposed in the mold,and the cavity of the mold being filled with molten metal after the endsof the arms have been fused. a connecting-bar will be formed which isintegralwith the several plates.

I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings theprocess abovedescribed as carried out by the use of a sand as the means of confiningthe metal of the plates themselves and the fused metal which forms theconnecting-bar and also by the use of a metal mold.

As shown in said drawings, Figure 1 is a View showing in side elevationone of aseries of plates with a surrounding mass of sand used forconfining the molten metal of the plates and connecting-bar. Fig. 2 is aplan view showing several plates with the surrounding sand arranged asin Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of plates joined by an integralbar or bond, the same being the prodnot of my novel process. Fig. 4illustrates said plates and a metal moldthereon, such as may be used incarrying out my process. Fig. 5 illustrates the mold shown in Fig. 4,together with an added or top member for forming the top of theconnecting-bar and a lug thereon. Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the moldshown in Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a transverse section on line 7 7 of Fig. 6.Fig. 8 is a fragmentary transverse section on line 8 8 of Fig.

5. Fig. 9 is a transverse section on line 9 9 of Fig. 8.

As shown in said drawings, A A indicate the plates to be joined by mynovel process, the same being desirably and usually made from sheet leadcut to proper form and size, this being the more economical manner offorming said plates. Preparatory to uniting said plates they arearranged in proper relative position and spaced to the proper distancesapart. For this purpose said plates may be buried in sand, as shown inFigs. 1 and 2, or supported in a notched rack B, the notches b of whichare parallel and of such depth and arranged to hold the plates invertical'positions, as seen in Fig. 4.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the plates are surrounded by a mass of sandS, in which is formed a trough or mold recess S, arranged to exposetherein a small part of the upper edge of each plate. Manifestly whenthe plates are arranged as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and surrounded by theconfining body of sand a heating-flame, as from a blowpipe or plumberstorch T, (shown in Fig. 1,) may be directed into the recess in the sandupon the exposed parts of the plates therein, with the result of meltingor fusing the metal at the exposed edges of the plates, and after themetal is so melted or fused an additional quantity of fused metal may bepoured in the recess to form the connecting-bar, and such fused metalwill unite with the fused metal of the plates, and when cooled the wholewill form an integral structure.

As shown in the remaining figures of the drawings, a metal mold O isused adapted for forming a connecting-bar A, having on one of its ends alug A as shown in Fig. 3. Said mold consists of separable upper andlower parts, and the lower part consists of two separate members 0 0which are constructed to inclose the upper corners of the plates at theparts thereof where they are to be joined together. Said mold members C"O are re= cessed in their proximate faces, so as to form a mold-chamberc of the desired size and shape, and are fitted closely together attheir ends and along their margins. To admit the edges of the platesinto the mold, the parts 0 0 thereof are provided at their lower marginseach with a plurality of notches c 0, into which the edges of the platesare inserted. The mold members C (J are shown as connected together attheir ends by means of clamping screws 0 In carrying outvmy process bythe use of a two part mold constructed as above described the two moldmembers O C are fixed in place on the plates A and connected with eachother. A heating-flame is then directed into the top of the ,mold, asfrom a torch or blowpipe T, (shown in Fig. 7,) so as to fuse the edgesof' the plates projecting therein. The heating may be convenientlyaccomplished by the flame from a blowpipe, which is directed into themold upon the corners of the plates until fusing thereof occurs. Afterthe plates have been fused in the manner described a charge of moltenmetal is poured into the mold until the mold is partially or whollyfilled. The molten metal of the charge commingles with the fused partsof the plates, so that when the metal hardens the plates when in placeform an integral structure.

In order to give the proper shape and finish to the top of theconnecting-bar, the mold described may be provided with a top or cope D,Figs. 5, 8, and 9, arranged to fit upon the two parts 0 (l and providedwith an upwardly-projecting part at one end containing an opening intowhich the metal is poured and which forms a lug or projection on theconnecting-bar, by means of which the same may be connected with thesimilar bar of the plates belonging to another battery-cell. Said part Dconsists, as herein shown, of two members D D which fit over the top ofthe lower part of the mold. The member D consists of a horizontal partd, which fits over the top of the mold O, and a vertical part 01,provided on one side with a longitudinal recess. The member D consistsof a straight piece provided in one face thereof with a likelongitudinal recess, which when the parts are fitted together forms withthe opposing recess the passage (1 which communicates at its lower endwith the mold-chamber c. The mold members D D are secured together bymeans of clamping screws d which pass through integral lugs on one ofsaid parts and have screw-threaded engagement with like parts on theother member. The lower surfaces of said mold members D D are recessedand fit over a rabbet formed upon the upper faces of the mold members C0 After the molten metal has been poured into the lower part of the moldto form the bond or bar A andlbefore the same has become hardened theupper part of the mold is placed in position, as shown in Fig. 5, andthe molten metal to fill the mold and form the lug A is immediatelypoured thereinto, so that the added metal commingles with thatpreviously introduced.

The process herein described forms an exceedingly simple means ofjoining the plates of a storage battery and avoids the necessity ofcasting the structure as a whole or of soldering or otherwise attachingthe connectingbars to the plates. Said process is simpler than castingthe plates and bars in one structure, for the reason that complicatedmolds are required for such purpose, and the operation of casting istherefore correspondingly complicated and expensive. As compared withjoining plates by a bar soldered or otherwise attached thereto, thestructure herein shown possesses much greater strength and affordshomogeneous parts for carrying the electric current, by which resistancesuch as would be due to the presence of solder or the like is avoided.

The mold shown in Figs. 3 to 9 forms the subject of a separateapplication for Letters Patent filed by me simultaneously herewith,Serial No. 47,274. the plates and forms the connecting-bar.

I claim as my invention In testimony that I claim the foregoing as Theprocess of joining metal plates by a myinvention I affix mysignature, inpresence connecting-bar which consists in first directof two witnesses,this 8th day of February, ing a fusing-blast into an inclosed space, andA. D. 1901. against the surfaces of said plates, which are 7 r exposedto the blast entering said space, to WILLIAM FRED JOHN LUTA fuse theexposed parts of the plates, confining 'Witnesses: the fused metal incontact with the parts of I JOHN HENRY GEORGE LUTZ, said plates fromwhich the metal was fused HANS ADAM SOHLOETZER.

and thereafterpouring into said space molten metal which unites with thefused metal of

